VOL 21 ISSUE 3 MAY-JUNE 2012T h e n e w s l e t t e r o f V e g a s J a z z • J a z z H a p p e n s H e r e !

ENJOY

A celebration of the music of Django Reinhardtand other gypsy jazz music past and present

Historic 5th Street School • Saturday, June 23, 20125 p.m. pre-concert cocktails and entertainment in courtyard

Beverages and food available for purchase

presented by the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs in association with Vegas Jazz

Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St. • Tickets: $10 on sale April 11, 2012For tickets and more information, call (702) 229-3515 or (702) 229-6469 or visit www.artslasvegas.org

6 p.m. concert

FEATURING

Gonzalo Bergara Quartet

Fishtank EnsembleHot Club of Las Vegas

VEGAS JAZZOFFICERS

PRESIDENT Carolyn FreemanV. PRESIDENT Judy TarteTREASURER Joyce DeversSECRETARY Samantha BadgleyPAST PRESIDENT Frank Leone

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJ. J. Brennan Matt KoernerKim Linzy Dave Loeb Katrina Sumner Judy Tarte Mimi Williams

ADVISORSManny Gomez Rocky Gordon Dave Rowell Daniel Teich

JAZZ NOTES! is published bi-monthly by Vegas Jazz, a 501© nonprofit corporation. Subscribe by membership at: vegasjazz.org or by emailing: info@vegasjazz.org Send newsletter emails to Editor@vegasjazz.org or AdMgr@vegasjazz.org Deadline for publication is 1st of the month prior to issue date. SEND MAIL: JAZZ NOTES!, Editor, P. O. Box 60396, Las Vegas, NV 89160

EDITOR Judy TarteCONTRIBUTORS Patrick Gaffe Brian Kendall Matthew Koerner Frank Leone Dave Loeb Travis Lohmann Sue Smuskiewicz Katrina Sumner Dave Viger

PHOTOGRAPHY Paul “Spyder” Evans J Tarte Web filesMEMBERSHIP Anna Lea

DESIGN Julee Flicker

VEGAS JAZZ MSG. LINE (702) 313-6778

WEBSITE vegasjazz.org

VOL 21 ISSUE 3 MAY-JUNE 2012

2 President’s Column3-6 Happenings6-8 Reviews9 Frank’s Forum10 In Memoriam11 Membership Survey Results Members List

As I look at this blank page I hardly know where to begin. There are so many issues pending discussion and resolution that I want to share with you. First and foremost, I feel it is time to get back to knowing our fellow

members and sharing our love of jazz. Therefore the decision (based on results from the membership survey sheets) has been made to bring back the “Jazz Picnic.” It will be held on Saturday, September 29th at the Winchester

Community Park. Music groups have yet to be selected but as soon as they are we will let you know who they are and other particulars of the event. Another outcome from the survey results would be that we have more informal “jazz jams” and a Holiday party. Please let me know if you have any suggestions about locations and who you would like to hear. Some of you liked the idea of having “jazz parties” in homes. Are any of you willing to share your home so that we might be able to do this? Remember, this is YOUR society so please tell me what you desire and how you are able to help. The very large issue of the lack of Jazz Venues has been on my mind. Because of my affiliation

with the Las Vegas Jazz Connection I am very aware of the problem of performance space and salary costs. We need a home. Many of you indicated that you love Big Bands and want to hear more. I, too, love them and am wondering how to make this happen. Again, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I would like the leaders of all of our great bands to come together and be a formidable unit that will command some respect and the audiences they deserve. I am working on some marketing ideas that will involve community support. My goal is that our fine musicians be paid as the professionals that they are for their performances. I hope that you are in agreement with me on this issue.Judy Tarte (VJ Vice President) and I have been making contacts with persons in other arts

organizations within the community. One of these individuals is Camille Duskin, President of the Gateway Arts Foundation. The Gateway Foundation is an organization which gives music scholarships. As one of their fund raising events they have a monthly luncheon at the Artisan Hotel and feature guest performers, many of whom have benefited from these scholarships. They are interested in introducing more jazz into their program and we ‘re working with her as advisors on this. They also have a performance space called “Hattie’s House” which will accommodate small groups. We’ve been invited to meet with her to assess the space and determine how it might be best utilized for jazz programming. We also met with Dave Becker and his wife Marge. Dave is the wonderful interviewer on KNPR.

He was a Jazz DJ in Pittsburgh and is very knowledgeable. They are very kindly advising us on ways we can further our cause.Brian Kendall of the City Cultural Affairs office has asked us to co-sponsor their events. In

speaking with him, he was most enthusiastic about our making use of their venue at the 5th Street School. He also noted he was very impressed with Samantha Badgley and Mimi Williams for their assistance with the beautiful table setup and CD sales at the “Turtle Island” concert. Special recognition should go to Katrina Sumner for making the initial contact with Brian. Thank you to our wonderful women. In addition to their 5th Street venue, they offer a free noon concert once a month at the Court

House in the Jury Assembly room. A variety of artistic presentations are represented. Recently Gary Anderson’s excellent quintet featuring John Plows, drums; Tom Hall, reeds, Cocho Arbe, keyboard, and Steve Flora, bass, presented a wonderful program. The audience was enthusiastic and they received very positive evaluations. It should be noted that during this performance Cocho Arbe played the most beautiful rendition of Russ Freeman’s “The Wind.” Needless to say, I was moved by the beauty of his interpretation.We are moving ahead. Be patient with us as

this is a definite period of adjustment.Remember, “Music is Forever”.

2 I JAZZ NOTES! May-Jun 2012

CAROLYN’S CORNER

Gary Anderson quintet at City Cultural Affairs concert in Court Housel to r: Gary Anderson, John Plows, Tom Hall, Steve Flora, Cocho Arbe

May-Jun 2012 JAZZ NOTES! I 3

4 I JAZZ NOTES! May-Jun 2012

MEET THE ARTISTS

HOT CLUB OF LAS VEGAS is a Gypsy Jazz band that performs the music of Django Reinhardt, Bireli Lagrene, The Rosenberg Trio, and other Gypsy Djazz music past and present including, Gypsy Jazz Bolero, and Flamenco Rhumba songs.Personnel includes: Noybel Gorgoy / vocals • Mundo Juillerat / lead guitar • Chris Davis / contrabass • Gabriel Falcon / cajon

Marlo Valentin / rhythm guitarThe group was formed in 2006 with Mundo on guitar and Chris Davis on bass. Percussion was added soon after with the addition of

drummer, Gabriel Falcon on the cajon (or box). Then Marlow Valentin was added as the rhythm guitarist. Originally only an acoustic instrumental group, the band decided they wanted to expand upon the traditional gypsy jazz sound and add vocals. After the original vocalist went back to New York in 2010, Cuban salsa star Noybel Gorgoy joined the group. In a few short years the Hot Club LV has grown from a coffee shop band to playing numerous club gigs, festivals, concerts with

orchestras, and releasing their debut CD.

GONZALO BERGARA QUARTET, an all acoustic group, exhibits a unique sound heavily influenced by Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, traditional jazz, and hints of music from Argentina. The group’s music has been described as “a new kind of Gypsy Jazz” by Vintage Guitar.Personnel includes: Gonzalo Bergara / lead guitar • Rob Hardt / clarinet and tenor sax • Jeffrey Radaich / rhythm guitar • Brian

Netzley / upright bassFormed by native Argentinean Gonzalo Bergara, the group has performed all over the world including Croatia, Italy, France, England,

Scotland, Germany, Hungary, Argentina, Brazil, at the Montreal Jazz Fest, Playboy Jazz Fest, Sweet & Hot Jazz Fest and countless Django Reinhardt Fests. Bergara began playing professionally at age 16 in Buenos Aires. By 17 he was already fronting his own blues trio on national television.

In 2000, at age 19, he arrived in the United States and within a short time performed and recorded with hundreds of artist including Tim Hausser of Manhattan Transfer, Sylvie Vartan, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, John Jorgenson, Howard Alden and many more.

FISHTANK ENSEMBLE (or simply Fishtank) is a Euro-American musical group that formed in Oakland, California in 2004. They perform a variety of traditional musical styles including klezmer, flamenco, Japanese folk and Roma music. Current personnel includes: Fabrice Martinez / violin and violintromba (a Romani horn violin) • Ursula Knudsen / saw; vocals;

violin; banjolele, (a four- stringed musical instrument with a small banjo-type body and a fretted ukulele neck,) percussion, and theremin ( an electronic musical instrument in which the musician stands in front of the instrument and moves his or her hands in the proximity of two metal antennas. The distance from one antenna determines frequency-pitch, and the distance from the other controls amplitude- volume) • Douglas Smolens / flamenco guitar • Djordje Stijepovic / double bassFishtank Ensemble first formed and performed together at The Fishtank in Oakland in January 2004. First known as Fishtank, the band

is named after this venue. Another more colorful story about the name was found in an article which quoted one of the original members as saying “…the name came about kind of accidentally. We were playing on the streets in Santa Cruz, CA (and getting a great response from people) and someone asked what our name was. We weren’t really a functioning band then, we were basically just jamming some songs we figured out together and Ursula blurted out Fishtank. Shortly after we added the ‘Ensemble’. At first we weren’t thrilled with the name but eventually we’ve come to think it suits us pretty well. If you imagine lots of different fish that normally wouldn’t be together in the wild, swimming and mixing together in the same tank, that’s kind of like what’s going on with our music.” No matter what or how the origin of the name, much of Fishtank Ensemble’s influence comes from Fabrice Martinez, a European -born

violnist who is well-versed in the traditional music of the Romani (gypsy). The original Fishtank Ensemble line-up included Martinez, vocalist Ursula Knudsen, flamenco guitarist Doug Smolens, a Japanese- American shamisen performer (a 3-string Japanese instrument), accordionist, bassist and drummer.This quartet takes their roots both from their own varied musical and national backgrounds, as well as from their adventures and travels.

The singer Ursula sang opera on the streets and town squares of Italy; their French violinist voyaged around all of Europe in a handmade mule-drawn caravan for ten years, collecting music and experiences; their Serbian bass player has spent time playing with gypsies as well as some of the rock and roll’s legends; and the guitarist honed his craft in the gypsy caves of Granada, Spain.This L.A.-based group has been referred to as …” modern ambassadors of many of the world’s folk sounds.”

May-Jun 2012 JAZZ NOTES! I 5

UNLV contributed by Matt Koerner

Wednesday, April 25th – UNLV Spring Jazz Festival7:30 p.m. Black Box Theater

UNLV Jazz Studies Area presents it’s Spring Jazz Festival featuring internationally Renown trumpeter and recording artist Wayne Bergeron!

The Jazz Studies Area at UNLV, under the direction of Dave Loeb, has produced yet another world-class festival series on the UNLV campus. This spring the UNLV Spring Jazz Festival features renown trumpeter and clinician Wayne Bergeron, performing with UNLV’s stunning Jazz Ensembles I and II on April 25th at 7:30pm in the Black Box Theater.

Wayne Bergeron is enjoying a career as one of the most active players in the world. With studio dates, International touring, jazz concerts, guest soloist appearances and clinics, he has no intention of slowing down. Born in 1958 in Hartford, Connecticut, Bergeron grew up in Southern California where he started on French horn before switching to trumpet in the 7th grade. Although a difficult instrument to play, Bergeron took to the trumpet quickly. “I found I had natural ability for playing the trumpet in the upper register at an early age.” Bergeron credits his junior high school band director and first trumpet teacher, Ron Savitt, for molding his natural abilities into practical working skills. In 1986, Bergeron landed the lead trumpet position with the Maynard Ferguson Band. He can be heard on such Maynard Ferguson recordings as Body & Soul, The One & Only Maynard Ferguson and with the Big Bop Nouveau band on Brass Attitude. Remarking on the talented trumpet player, Maynard Ferguson had this to say during a radio interview: “Wayne is the most musical lead trumpet player I’ve ever had on my band.”

As a sideman, Bergeron’s list of CD credits reads like a who’s who in contemporary jazz and pop, running the stylistic gamut from Ray Charles to Green Day. Other stellar names include Beyoncé, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Seal, Diana Krall, Tito Puente, Christina Aguilera, Dianne Reeves, Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton, Gwen Stefani, Earth Wind & Fire, The Pussy Cat Dolls, My Chemical Romance, The Mars Volta, INXS, Chicago, Rosemary Cloony, Diane Schuur, Barry Manilow, Lee Ann Womack, Lou Rawls, Eric Marienthal, Kenny G., Brian Culbertson and David Benoit.

Bergeron has worked on 300 plus TV & motion picture soundtracks. A partial list of film credits include: Toy Story 3, Despicable Me, Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Charlie St Cloud, 2012, Percy Jackson, Cats & Dogs, Surrogates, The Informant, G-force, Star Trek, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, High School Musical 1 & 3, Race to Witch Mountain, National Treasure 1 & 2, Bedtime Stories, Pink Panther 2, Marley & Me, Role Models, The Mummy 3, Get Smart, Enchanted, Hancock, Horton Hears a Who, Semi Pro, Superman Returns, Pirates of the Caribbean 1,2&3, Ratatouille, The Simpson’s Movie, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Ice Age 2, Spiderman 1 & 2, Fantastic Four 1 & 2, Team America, Anchorman, Catch Me if You Can, South Park, Flubber and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Wayne’s featured trumpet solos can be heard on the motion pictures: Duplicity, Rocky Balboa, The Incredibles, Leather Heads, Princess & the Frog, The Perfect Game, High Crimes, Rounders, Fled, Hey Arnold (the movie), The Life Aquatic, The Rat Pack, Child Star, Illegal Tender, Aladdin King of Thieves, Foolproof, and Two Days in the Valley. Numerous TV credits include shows such as: NBC, ESPN & TNT sports themes, Entertainment Tonight theme, Academy Awards, American Idol (2001-02), Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy’s, The Goode Family, Jeopardy, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Phineas & Ferb, Emperor’s New School, Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, Mouse Works, Make em Laugh, House of Mouse, King of the Hill, Futurama, Buzz Lightyear, Hercules and Hey Arnold.

After being behind the scene for so many years, Bergeron stepped out on his own with his first solo effort You Call This a Living? This debut project earned him a Grammy nomination in 2004 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble as well as rave reviews from fans and press worldwide. Wayne’s latest recording Plays Well With Others was released on the Concord Jazz label in 2007 is being met with the same acclaim. Bergeron’s passion for big bands has led to his inclusion in some of Los Angeles’ most well respected bands. He has recorded with Quincy Jones, Gordon Goodwin, Arturo Sandoval, Pat Williams, Sammy Nestico, Jack Sheldon, Chris Walden, Tom Kubis, John La Barbara, Andy Martin, Ralph Carmichael, Bob Florence, Frank Capp, Matt Catingub, Bill Liston, Kim Richmond, Ray Anthony, Buddy Childers, Roger Neumann, Bill Perkins, Bill Elliott, Gary Irwin, Bill Watrous, Bob Curnow and Phil Kelly. Bergeron is a National Artist for the Yamaha Corporation of America and is co-designer of the YTR-8335LA trumpet and YFH-8315G Flugelhorn. Bergeron enjoys his work as a clinician/educator and feels it’s important to “give back” by mentoring young musicians.

Wayne Bergeron is a Concord Recording Artist and Yamaha Performing Artist.

HAPPENINGS

Wayne Bergeron

6 I JAZZ NOTES! May-Jun 2012

REVIEWSLa Voz De Tres

February 28 • Winchester Cultural Center • Review by Katrina Sumner

Las Vegas is better known for the musicians who come here than for the players she sends out into the larger creative world. We’ve become home base to some legendary artists who have resettled, here of course, but the numbers are smaller for those people who’ve done a reverse Horace Greely and gone east to New York.Count among those making the Big Apple trek pianist Michael Eckroth. More than a decade ago

Eckroth was studying at UNLV, gigging around town and developing a special reputation for his skill with Latin music. Since leaving Nevada a few years ago, Eckroth has worked with some of New York’s finest, including

guitarist John Scofield, saxophonists Joe Lovano, Chris Potter and his own groups. Three recent recording projects include a live DVD with reed player Paul McCandless, a collection of his modern jazz compositions, and a set of Latin music: Las Voz de Tres.It was this stunningly creative group Eckroth brought to the Winchester Center last February. With

guitarist Jason Ennis and vocalist Natalia Bernal, Eckroth offered an intriguing mix of jazz standards, traditional South American songs and original music. Jason Ennis

La Voz De Tres

CSN contributed by Sue Smuskiewicz

WINCHESTER CULTURAL CENTER

Saturday, May 6 - CSN Jazz Combos Matt Taylor leads CSN’s student jazz ensembles in a relaxing afternoon of jazz standards on Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m. in the BackStage Theatre at the Cheyenne Campus

Wednesday, May 9 - CSN Big Band Concert Celebrate the music of the Swing Era with the CSN Big Band, led by Walter Blanton, and the CSN Sextet on Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre.

Thursday, May 10 - CSN Spring Choral Concert CSN’s College Singers, Chamber Chorale, Jazz Singers and students of the Voice Classes perform Thursday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre. The Thurman White Middle School Singers will make a guest appearance.

College of Southern Nevada Performing Arts Center3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. • North Las Vegas NV 89030 • www.csn.edu

All Performances $8 for adults, $5 for students/seniors • For reservations, call 651-LIVE (5483)

Saturday, May 12 - 6 p.m. - Rick Arroyo’s Latin Jazz Quintet$10 in advance, $12 on concert dayRick Arroyo plays piano, drums and percussion with Juan “Tiny” Colon, valve trombone and trumpet; Puro Vicente Hernandez, bass; Dwayne Matos, drums; and Chiqui Garcia, congas and timbales. The band will perform tunes from its new CD, Mr. P, including pieces in the Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles as well as such jazz standards as “Tin Tin Deo.”Born in the Bronx, NY, Rick began playing piano at the age of 9, drums at age 11, congas and vibraphone at the age of 14 and started playing professionally at the age of 15.Arroyo, composer, arranger and 2008 Las Vegas Latin Awards Winner in 2 catagories-Best Latin Jazz Performer as well as Best Latin Jazz Band, appeared in The Coral Reef Lounge at Mandalay Bay every Monday night for four years with his 10 piece Latin dance band. He has played in many locations throughout Las Vegas including the Blue Note, House Of Blues, Rio, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and the Stardust, as well as several locations in Los Angeles and Denver. He has also performed at several of The City Of Lights Jazz Festivals, The Clark County Amphitheatre, The Reed Whipple Community Center and other venues including radio and television.

3130 S. McLeod (McLeod @ Desert Inn), Las Vegas, NV 89121 • (702) 455-7030

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Rick Arroyo

May-Jun 2012 JAZZ NOTES! I 7

UNLV Latin Jazz and Jazz Ensemble IA Blend of Styles

March 13 • Flamingo Library • Review by Travis Lohmann

UNLV’s Jazz Ensemble I is no stranger to success, their accomplishments have been noted in acclaimed jazz publications. From the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival to the Midwest Clinic, UNLV Jazz Ensemble I is one of the premiere college big bands in the world. On March 13, 2012, their stunning display of musical passion and virtuosity was shown, along with an amazing opening act from the UNLV Latin Ensemble. The Latin Jazz Ensemble opened with a colorful introductory piece: “Mambo No. 5” featuring evocative rhythms, a searing drum break with auxiliary percussion and masterful comping and band direction by the ensemble’s leader: Uli Geissendoerfer. The piece also featured some spoken word, as well as a well-executed solo by trumpeter Jorge Machain. This opener was an excellent way to whet the audiences’ appetite for more great music to come. A more modern composition was the second selection. Titled: “Lucid Dreaming,” this piece featured wonderful rhythmic interplay between

drummer Stephen Shapiro and bassist Mycah Krayson. Additionally, thick horn harmonies permeated the music and added a wonderful color to this tune. Saxophonist Patrick Garcia gave a mature, inventive solo. Uli provided grounding montunos and ostinatos, which really kept the rhythmic drive propelling forward. Trombonist Stephen Anongthep really made his mark with an intelligent, yet musical solo. Guitarist Tyler McKusick followed up with a warm sounding solo, complete with colorful fills and licks. This selection is filled with lovely passing harmonies and textures. It certainly was a wonderful treat. Daniel Alemeda and Austin Pooley also provided some great rhythmical accents with the auxiliary percussion. Another great tune titled: “Long” started off with colorful and inventive introduction by Daniel Alameda on vibraphone, Excellent woodwind

doubling by Patrick Garicia on flute really helped to bring this piece to life. This was a wonderful tune for soloists to blow over. Keaton Martin in particular played a fantastic solo on the tenor sax. All in all, this was a great opening group for this amazing concert. It certainly a great privilege to hear such talented musicians perform at their peak ability. With more music to follow, the UNLV Jazz Ensemble I took the bandstand. Highlights of this concert included the gorgeous opening piece: “Gaea,” composed and arranged by trombonist Nate Kimball. The UNLV Jazz Ensemble I decided to have a tribute to Bob Brookmeyer, therefore the concert featured a lot of his stunning arrangements.One of the amazing Brookmeyer arrangements played was “Some Sing Sum,”a piece which incorporates elements of serialism and 20th

century classical music. The piece began with a stirring introduction by pianist Otto Ehling, which then lead into hypnotic melody played by the woodwind doubles. With jarring horn harmonies and a fantastic piano solo, this piece was certainly a unique selection to behold. What a wonderful choice of music. Following this was another selection by Bob Brookmeyer. Assistant jazz professor Nathan Tanouye conducted the final selection of the evening. The selection was titled: “For Maria,” an evident reference to the former student of Brookmeyer’s: Maria Schneider. This gorgeous tune features some amazing woodwind work with lush harmonies and ever changing mood qualities. Trombonist Nate Kimball

gave a lush and translucent solo, weaving in and out of the chord changes and giving plenty of space. The simple, yet effective melody is absolutely divine when complemented by pads of trombones and flugelhorns. This piece certainly showcased the gentler, yet emotionally powerful side of UNLV’s Jazz Ensemble I. This concert was a great way to showcase the brilliant arrangements of Bob Brookmeyer, as well as the talents of the critically acclaimed ensemble.

“This is a collective group, placing an equal emphasis on what each member of the group is doing,” says Eckroth. “The songbook ranges from Brazil to other parts of Latin America and American music, but we are at heart a jazz band and the emphasis is on improvisation.”La Vox de Tres (The Voice of Three) opened their Winchester set with “Ojos Azules,” a traditional Andean

tune arranged by guitarist Ennis and marked by the atmospheric soprano of Bernal. The tune itself is quite old, although the trio’s treatment was thoroughly modern. Over the course of the evening’s performance, we were taken to Brazil, Argentina, and even Spain through a spirited flamenco-flavored arrangement of Chick Corea’s tune by that name. A special highlight was Russ Freeman’s “When Love Was Lost and Found,” a piano and guitar duo done as a

bossa nova in honor of Vegas Jazz president Carolyn Freeman. Working in a group without a drummer presents special challenges. It is a common misconception, even among

musicians, that the drummer’s function is to set the time and become something of a human metronome. La Vox de Tres conquers these challenges with aplomb. So much South American music is guitar-based we hardly notice the absence of a percussionist. Playing a 7-string guitar, Jason Ennis was a sensitive accompanist with rock-steady time. He was a standout in his role supporting Eckroth and Bernal, but as a soloist he is someone to watch. He’s also credited with most of the arrangements for the group. A recording of his own ensemble, Trio Jota Sete, is in the works, as is a solo project of jazz and Brazilian classics.Bernal is the center of these three stellar voices. Not only did she bring traditional South American music to the stage, but she contributed

a couple of originals to the Winchester set list: “El Borde de mi Tierra” (The Border of my Land) and the haunting “Cuentame tu Pena,” describing that indescribably hopeless moment of falling out of love. Something we can all relate to, no matter what the language. It was nice to have Michael Eckroth back in town, if only for a minute. For a longer-lasting visit, go to BernalEckrothEnnis.com where you

can pick up a copy of their CD.

La Voz De Tres backstage with shy audience member, Justine Lyons

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8 I JAZZ NOTES! May-Jun 2012

Blending musical styles from all over the world has always been what a good musical education has been about. The Jazz Studies Department at UNLV certainly knows how to give students and audiences a real experience in playing all sorts of music. From swing and big band, to Latin and modern jazz, our program spans the gamut of all styles. This concert really showed how diverse the jazz studies program is, and quite honestly, this was a fantastic concert. Way to go, guys; the music was absolutely stellar.

UNLV Combo Saturday Afternoon ConcertMarch 31 • Flamingo Library • Review by Dave Viger, Chairman, UNLV Jazz Studies Advisory Board

UNLV was pleased to feature two of its many combos at this Saturday afternoon concert at the Flamingo Library, at 2 PM. The performance opened with the Five Spot combo, directed by Dr. Joe Klein, MD-retired, at the piano. The instruments played in this combo were Joe Klein (piano), Adam Spyhalski (bass), Carl Collison (drums), Josh Williams (guitar), Carlos Mata-Alvarez (tenor sax), Patrick Garcia and Jamaal Howard (alto sax), and Jesse Garcia (trumpet). They played a number of lively favorite jazz tunes, with solos by all. The crowd in attendance gave them a sound round of applause for their sterling performances.Gyasi Greer, a sophomore and one of UNLV’s bright up-and-coming jazz drummers lead the Sweet Basil combo. This group of young

musical artists who showed great maturity as developing jazz performers included: Josh Williams (guitar), Masters Candidate who will graduate this semester; Gyasi Greer (drums) who plays with a particularly professional sounding “ride” that is very unusual for someone this young; Carlos Mata-Alverez (sax) a freshman who is unusually gifted who will greatly impact UNLV’s future and continue to gather jazz accolades as a horn player; and Anthony Wesley (bass), who is just a junior in high school at the distinguished arts school, Las Vegas Academy. Anthony is extremely gifted and talented and only 16 years old!. This fine combo played very creative arrangements that brought down the house! The solos were incredible, and for any true lover of jazz combos, this was a real treat.Although the UNLV Jazz Program has grown dramatically from 30 to more than 80 students in the past ten years compared to some heavily

attended and financed programs at North Texas State, University of Illinois, USC, and the like, we are at the very top with the quality of our jazz performances, and our best vs. the other schools’ best. Our recent invitation to perform at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago where we were selected over all the other jazz programs in the world,

except University of Illinois, was proof positive of the prowess of our Jazz Studies Program at UNLV and the élite faculty under the leadership of our Director, David Loeb. When you look at the performances of these younger players at this concert, UNLV will continue to dominate the highest echelons of jazz programs for a long time to come.

CD REVIEW review by Dave Loeb

John Linder - Ad LibJohn takes us on a wonderful musical excursion utilizing the American songbook and notable jazz classics in his outstanding CD

release, Ad Lib. In his opening selection,“Taking a Chance on Love,” John displays a solid command of stride piano technique as well as a traditional

but interesting harmonic conception. In ‘What Am I Here For,” Mr. Linder provides a delightful solo using this melancholy tune as a framework for his impressive double-time melodic lines. “Someone to Light Up My Life,”uses sophisticated phrases after a beautiful rubato introduction in this gorgeous composition by Antonio Carlos Jobim. John’s “Disney Medley,” including “When You Wish Upon A Star” and “Alice In Wonderland,” incorporates a strong sense of lyricism and a swinging jazz waltz. John’s medley of Kern’s “Yesterdays” and Lennon’s “Yesterday” is not only a clever word play but also a brilliant rendition of two contrasting tunes from different generations again showing us Linder’s stride style reminiscent of the great Teddy Wilson. In “Blusette,” Mr. Linder’s energized improvisation alludes to the jazz exuberance that Toot Thielemans gave us in his harmonica performance many years ago on the same tune. “Beautiful Love” is a poignant treatment of this haunting Victor Young theme that demonstrates John’s keen awareness of the important melodic element in songs from this historic era. John offers a respectful version of the Mercer piece, “I Remember You” that exercises restrain and artistic sensibility. In his performance of another of Jobim’s vast legacy of breathtaking music, “Dindi,” Mr. Linder treats us to an innovative variation on this cherished Brazilian masterpiece. Mancini’s award-winning tune “Charade” contrasts “Then I’ll Be Tired Of You” and showcases John’s eclectic taste within the genre of exceptional American standards. Mr. Linder’s pairing of Bud Powell’s, “An Afternoon in Paris,” “Parisian Thoroughfare” and an arrangement that is reminiscent of Basie’s well-known orchestration, “April in Paris,” is a testament to John’s exhaustive assimilation of the be-bop jazz vernacular.Concluding with his reprise of “Taking a Chance on Love,” Mr. Linder leaves no doubt that

he possesses a finely-honed ability as a respected jazz pianist and is a heartfelt interpreter of the best material from the rich lineage of American jazz repertoire and popular music through the past century.

May-Jun 2012 JAZZ NOTES! I 9

FRANK’S FORUM

I am indebted to Marvin Stamm, whose recent blog was so impressive, that I felt compelled to bring it to everyone’s attention, quoting and paraphrasing, and with the addition of my own observations.In a recent blog, NYC trumpet great, Marvin Stamm, poses the question; “What is music?” His answer

is: “Music is—and always will be—in the ear of the beholder. What is valid to one person is junk to another. I believe most of us clearly understand this.” He goes on to say however, whether taking in [new] music live or on recordings, and despite the technical and harmonic skills of the newer crop of players, he keeps asking himself; “Where is the music?” He further asks; “But whether in classical music or jazz, shouldn’t there be more?” The elements that make a performance musical include real melodic ideas that get developed within the solo, variations in tone and

texture, use of dynamics and “space” (as opposed to a blur of notes based on scale runs, arpeggios, or memorized clichés), and a sense that the playing is for the total audience, as opposed to one’s self, or a limited clique. There has to be a human element. This is not easy to define as opposed to just knowing whether it’s there or not. Bill Evan’s beautiful playing exemplified the human element, which is why he impacted the jazz world. I recently attended a jazz performance where the trombonist not only played wonderfully, but also injected humor in to his soloing: a human element.In these times, there are no longer clubs to “break in,” so it must be achieved at school band practice, and jamming on the side.

Influence will mainly come from the teacher, and the balance from recordings. Failing to find the right teacher, or listening to only certain recordings, for the young player can result in “a shallow range of expression, as is many times the case.” This diminishes the chances of finding their own voice. Stamm is puzzled as he states; “What never fails to amaze me are the trumpet players who, when asked, say they love the rich, warm and dark sounds of Chet Baker or Miles Davis, yet when they play, their sounds are harsh and thin, and whatever they try to play comes out sounding ugly. While they may listen to and admire these artists of the past, they have no concept of expressing themselves in a similar fashion. I’m not talking about their effort to copy these musicians, but rather about their having no idea how to create a similar approach or to use similar colors.” Limited musicians will limit everyone with whom they play! “Whether playing a Beethoven Sonata, an up-tempo Bebop tune, or a soft ballad, the sound must be perceived in the ear to be able to

produce the textures and sounds that express the musical qualities that the musician wants to purvey. Again, these approaches can only be gained through a great deal of listening to—and playing with—artists who excel at their craft. I believe this exploration and expansion of all aspects of musicianship to be a goal for players of all acoustic instruments—wind, string, brass, or percussion.”Classic jazz artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, J. J. Johnson, Stan Getz, and many others, develop their solos like the first

movement of a symphony of the classical period, at which period the composer was obliged to use the Sonata-Allegro Form. This form was in three parts—Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation. First the idea (theme=in jazz, the whole tune) was stated, then came the development of that idea (tune), expanding the emotional landscape through the use of space and dynamics, and harmonic alteration, journeying to a climax. After which, there was a return (recapitulation) to the theme (tune) as originally stated, psychologically making the listener feel like coming home to roost. The solo, having had form and shape, used “space” between phrases to heighten the lines, not just a spewing forth of 64th notes with little rhythmic or spatial variety. Dynamics, along with shifts in range and rhythms, express the various emotions the artist wants to convey. Varying technique—some notes being slower or faster, articulated shorter or longer, applied in the musical context—create tension and release. All these elements are vital to producing a fine solo. If successful, the other musicians will simply say “He told a story,” meaning that it was a great solo!“Taking technique to the extreme adds up to nothing more than a lot of notes. The stating of an idea and the development of that idea

at some point, may call for implementation of faster notes and rhythms, but the metamorphosis must occur naturally. It requires acute listening skills to develop an awareness of how the masters express these qualities. Fast notes of and by themselves are meaningless.” As for the harmonic portion, too many players deliberately look for “outside,” or atonal, notes to play over the harmonies of a piece. If

superimposed judiciously over the regular harmonies, those “outside” notes will get your attention. “But a lot of today’s players insist on playing nothing but the ‘outside’ notes—producing few ideas and little lyricism, but creating lots of tension. They seem to forget that if there is no ‘inside,’ there can be no ‘outside.’ Coming into the harmony allows going outside of the harmony to have relevance and meaning.” When this concept is ignored, the music takes on a cold-ugly feel, especially when there are successive choruses. The late great jazz guru, Dennis Sandole, Philadelphia jazz guitarist and teacher (e.g., Joe Lano, Pat Martino, James Moody, John Coltrane), whom I knew personally, had a poignant critical expression about “busy” players—“They suffer from a diarrhea of notes and a dearth of ideas.”Marv in his article, pondered possible answers to the question—“What IS Music?”--and articulated what is in the minds of many

listeners who questioned why they sometimes feel bereft of the warmth they feel when listening to the great masters. Could it be the absence of the musical elements he cited? Does the playing of a number of today’s jazz musicians disappoint the many listeners who seek more from the music than they are getting? Is this the reason many fans tell me they listen to their current CD purchases only once or twice, yet continually return to their older classic recordings from the 1930’s through the 1970’s or 80’s—recordings they never tire of? Could this be a clue? I wonder.

What Is Music?Submitted by Frank Leone

10 I JAZZ NOTES! May-Jun 2012

In MemoriamWe pause to remember those we’ve recenty lost from our Jazz World…

BOB BADGLEY, long time Vegas Jazz member, passed away at his home Feb. 24, 2012. He was 83 years old.“Badge” began his first piano lessons at age six and studied trombone and string bass while attending Cass Tech, Detroit, Michigan’s “magnet school of the arts” high school.Serving in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1953, Bob was stationed in Berlin, leading the 298th Army Band, which also included the young Chet Baker. After a stint in the 22nd Army band in San Francisco, he began to play in the Los Angeles area, with Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Fergusson, Oscar Peterson, and other jazz icons.

He moved to Las Vegas in 19971 and began playing at the Riviera, the Hilton and worked with Vinnie Falcone backing up Frank Sinatra at Caesars in Las Vegas, Tahoe and Atlantic City. Beginning in the late 70’s he frequently toured in Europe, Korea, Japan and the United States. He often reminisced about some of his favorite tours, especially those with Julie Andrews and Joe Williams. His favorite classical performance was in the early 1980’s, at Artemis Ham Hall, when he played in the orchestra conducted by Aaron Copeland.Bob was a main fixture in the jazz scene in Las Vegas and is remembered for his outstanding work at the Four Queens’ Monday Night Jazz as well as his many evenings at the Debbie Reynolds Hotel with Joey Singer and a long stint at the Santa Fe, with Mike Breene and Santo Savino. Bob worked with pianist/composer Dan Skea, which led to a number of CDs with their quintet, “Full Circle,” and work at Spago’s. In the 1980’s, he and guitarist Joe Lano recorded, as a duo, Jazz to Bach. In the 90’s he recorded Tranquility with then UNLV director of Jazz Studies and pianist Stefan Karlsson. After this recording he played many dates with Stefan and Bill Moody, drummer and author of the Evan Horne jazz mysteries. The list goes on and on.

RED HOLLOWAY, tenor and alto saxophonist, died February 25, 2012. He was 84.Holloway’s career reached from the post-World War II arrival of bebop to 21st century jazz fusion.At the age of five, he and his mother moved to Chicago, where he graduated from DuSable High School and attended the Conservatory of Music. Holloway started playing banjo and harmonica, switching to tenor sax when he was twelve years old. He joined the Army when he was nineteen and after completing his military service, returned to Chicago and played with Yusef Lateef and Dexter Gordon, among others.

In 1948 he was asked by blues vocalist Roosevelt Sykes to join Sykes’ U.S. Road Tour. During this time, other bluesmen heard him and subsequently hired him, including Willie Dixon, Junior Parker, Lloyd Price, John Mayall, and B.B. King.In the 1950s he played in the Chicago area with such notables as Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Ben Webster, Jimmy Rushing, Dakota Station, Wardell Gray, Sonny Rollins, Red Rodney, Lester Young, Joe Williams, Redd Foxx, Aretha Franklin and many others. During this same period, he also played road tours with Sonny Stitt, Memphis Slim, Lefty Bates, and Lionel Hampton.From 1963 to 1966, he was in organist “Brother” Jack McDuff’s band. Another member of this same band was guitarist George Benson. In 1967 Red moved to Los Angeles and in 1969 became the coordinator of talent and member of the house band at the famed Parisian Room. This association lasted for the next fifteen years and Red hired virtually everyone who was anyone in the world of jazz and blues. During Red’s tenure at the Parisian Room, he took occasional breaks for European, South American, and Japanese tours. From 1977 to 1982, he worked with Sonny Stitt, recording two albums together. In fact, it was Sonny who encouraged Red to take up the alto saxophone, believing that anyone who could also play clarinet, flute, piccolo, piano, bass, drums and violin could probably master yet another instrument. Following Stitt’s death, Red spent most of his time touring the States and Europe, either as a single or with his own band and playing and recording with trumpeter Clark Terry.A celebration of Red’s life is to be held at the Los Angeles Musician’s Union on Sunday, May 20, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.

BOBBY MALLOY, 82, of Las Vegas, passed away Feb. 23, 2012. He had been a resident of Nevada for 47 years. Bobby was known as “The Drummer to the Stars.” He was the house drummer for many Las Vegas hotels during the Rat Pack days.

FRANK MAROCCO, jazz accordionist, died March 3rd, 2012 at the age of 81. Although his wide-ranging career embraced every genre of music his passion was jazz and to show that the accordion was a legitimate jazz instrument. He is quoted as saying: “Since I grew up listening to people like Zoot Sims and Charlie Parker, I play accordion like a jazz horn player, with horn-like lines.” He began taking accordion lessons at age 7 and later added piano, clarinet, music theory and composition to his interests. Although he was trained in the classics he was encouraged to explore other areas. He began touring professionally with a trio he had formed at age 18 and in 1959 moved to Los Angeles where he formed another band, concentrating on nightclub

and hotel appearances in Las Vegas and Palm Springs. By the mid-60’s he was well established as a studio musician, valued for his technique and versatility and became one of the most recorded accordionists in the world, playing on hundreds of movie soundtracks, TV shows and record dates. He recorded with a long list of composers including John Williams, Quincy Jones, Michel Legrand and Henry Mancini. He also played with many renowned Jazz musicians including Ray Brown, Jeff Hamilton, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Pete Christlieb and Frank Rossolino.

He was nominated eight years in a row for the Most Valuable Player Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S) and received that award twice. Mr. Marocco received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Accordionists’ Association in 2006 and inducted into the Accordion Hall of Fame in Vicenza, Italy in 2000.

May-Jun 2012 JAZZ NOTES! I 11

Artists Membership: Artists who pay membership dues at the $50 or above membership level receive a listing of their jazz-related gigs on the Vegas Jazz web site in the monthly Events calendars, as well as a photo, short description, and link to their web site on the Artists page. All Artist level members please email your gig listings to: calendarlistings@vegasjazz.org

Artistic Expression: Although Vegas Jazz informs those whom we feature that the core of our membership are mainstream jazz lovers, we in no way wish to curtail artistic expression, freedom, and experimentation. Therefore, we beg your indulgence, cooperation, and support on the rare occasions that artists present more adventurous or even experimental music.

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ARTIST John F. AbrahamJJ. BrennanDon & Alica “The Cunninghams”Mike KrauseClark Danny LeeRobert & Miyoko-Ono Moore

Andre SerralleBob & Jo StavaSheila & William WingfieldDUKEJoseph & Karen AzzaraELLA-IndividualBarbara Alex

Paul AndersonSandra (Sandy) AstudilloLouis BaileyJune T. BoydJulie CallowayKenneth C. CamisCharles CarpenterGeorge Cheri

MEMBERS LIST New & Renewing Members March 2012

Membership Survey ResultsMany thanks to all of you who took the time to fill in the membership survey for March 2012. Your input is most appreciated! And the results are…

(1st being the most requested)

VENUES 1st Jazz picnic(s) both Fall & Spring 2nd House party 3rd Jazz “jams” 4th Holiday party 5th Big “blowout” concert w/ “renowned” performer(s)

MUSICAL STYLES 1st Straight ahead 2nd Big Band 3rd Latin 4th Smooth 5th World Jazz/New Artists/Small combos

Warren CobbLouise ColucciMary A. CortneyMij CourtneyCranford CrawfordSheldon De GraffRon DudaKen Eastman

Paul (Spyder) EvansEd FinkelRichard J. GaleckiDonald Goodman

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